curtail

verb

cur·tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtāl

curtailed; curtailing; curtails

Synonyms of curtail next

transitive verb

: to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part

curtail the power of the executive branch

curtail inflation

Some school activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.

curtailer

(ˌ)kər-ˈtā-lər

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for curtail

shorten, curtail, abbreviate, abridge, retrench mean to reduce in extent.

shorten implies reduction in length or duration.

shorten a speech

curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy.

ceremonies curtailed because of rain

abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part.

using an abbreviated title

abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result.

the abridged version of the novel

retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive.

declining business forced the company to retrench

Examples of curtail in a Sentence

The new laws are an effort to curtail illegal drug use. School activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The company acknowledges the risk of needing to curtail spending if financing is not secured. —

Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024 Iran is building up its defense relationship with Russia even as its escalating conflict with Israel may temporarily curtail its weapons shipments. —

Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024 One guess would be that Meta seeks to curtail any attempt at courting public opinion while votes are still being counted. —

Chris Morris, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024 Whether sanctions will help to curtail the captagon trade is an open question. —

Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for curtail

Word History

Etymology

by folk etymology from earlier curtal to dock an animal's tail, from curtal, noun, animal with a docked tail, from Middle French courtault — more at curtal

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of curtail was in 1580

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Curtail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curtail. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

curtail

verb

cur·tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtā(ə)l

: to make less by or as if by cutting off part of

curtailer

-ˈtā-lər

noun

curtailment

-ˈtāl-mənt

noun

Last Updated: 26 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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curtail

verb

Synonyms

Examples of curtail in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near curtail

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition